


Digital love

by Aqua111



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comic)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:34:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21781006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aqua111/pseuds/Aqua111
Summary: Luger had a hard time connecting with other people. Until he met a quiet stranger in the virtual worlds.
Relationships: Locke/Luger (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a very early idea I had for my main AU stories it which Locke is only existing in a virtual reality anymore. Inspired by the Daft Punk song with the same name. And also the world of Tron to some extent.
> 
> Made as a gift for my friend Charlee.

The dim PC monitor was the only source of light inside the dark room. An alarm clock standing on a beside table showed that it was almost midnight. Its ticking and the occasional movements of the virtual reality gear were the only sounds heard.

Luger knew how late it was. At this time of night barely anyone else was online. Soon he would be alone in this virtual world. But he also didn't really feel like logging off an often beautiful looking virtual world only to return to this bleak real world where people couldn't care less about his existence.

In the corner of his visor he only saw two more additional avatar icons. One with the username Midnight_Raven. 'Guessing by the name it's probably a teenage girl,' Luger thought. The other had the username Binary. Luger had already seen this avatar quite often in this virtual chatroom but it never showed any chat activity. Probably a silent bot.

The character that was carrying the girl's username approached him.  
"Hi. Wanna see the world I made?"

It was just a message that appeared in text form in front of him. She didn't have her voice chat activated.

"Sure," he replied.

The world around them flickered and blacked out for a moment while her world was loading. Moments later Luger found himself in a winter forest. A bit blocky but still one of the better user created worlds he had seen. When he moved around he could hear the snow crunching. Wind rustled through the empty tree branches. A pixelated squirrel watched him from one of the trees. But even though this world looked and sounded cold he couldn't feel it. Yet another world that didn't make use of any of the other VR sensors aside of the visual and auditory ones.

"Did you create all of this on your own?"

"Yeah"

"It looks really good. You should consider a career in design or programming."

"Yeah"

Yet another time Luger found it hard to keep a conversation going. It wasn't like he didn't want to chat with others. But often he found himself writing walls of texts while he only got single sentence - sometimes even single word - replies and it gave him the feeling he was boring the other people. Actually if he thought about it the only difference between the real and this virtual world was that it was more peaceful here and no one seemed to outright hate him.

Apparently the girl had quickly gotten bored with him too.  
"It's late. I have school tomorrow. Gotta go. Bye." 

Now he was completely alone in this wintery world. Only the bot was still online. With a heavy heart Luger was about to prepare himself to return to the real world when he was approached by yet another character. It was one of the most detailed character models he had ever seen. Almost like a real Echidna if at the same time he hadn't looked so... digital. Thin lines with a bluish glow spread over his dark grey body like circuits, giving him the appearance of a robot. Sometimes white lines would appear, run over his body and then disappear again, like waves in an ocean. When he took a closer look at them Luger realised that the white lines were actually strings of zeroes and ones.  
Was this Binary? No bot should have looked that detailed.

"Hello," the other said quietly and also sounded a bit apologetic.

Bots usually didn't use voice chat either.

"You are real?" Luger asked and right afterwards felt a bit stupid for his question.

"Yes."

"But I never saw or heard you in chat."

"Never saw a reason to interact."

"Why not?"

Binary only shrugged and remained quiet.  
Great, another conversation Luger had problems to keep going. The other however didn't appear to be bored with him at all. He only curiously watched Luger and the landscape around them.

After a while Binary finally spoke again. "Can I show you my winter world as well?"

Luger nodded and expected the usual blackout while the other world was loading. But his surrounding changed almost in an instant and he was hit by a wave of cold. As he stumbled back in surprise he could actually feel snow under his feet. For a moment he was under the impression they had teleported into the real world. The textures looked and felt so realistic. Was it his own imagination or could he also smell the cold fresh air? Even the squirrel from before was there, now running through the snow. Luger could see the hairs of its fur moving.

"Holy shit..." he mumbled and stared at Binary with widened eyes.

"You don't like it," Binary asked, sounding a bit unsure.

"Are you kidding me? This is amazing! The best world I have ever seen. This has to be created with some high-end tech. You definitely have to work in programming or something."

"Not really. I'm a Guardian." He didn't elaborate any further though.

"Seriously? That at least explains the technology." Another cold breeze made him shiver and he wrapped his arms around his body. "Would be perfect though if I wasn't freezing solid," he joked.

"I think one of my other worlds can help at that," Binary said. He didn't load up another one though. Instead he reached out his hands. "I hope you are not afraid of heights."

Luger had a hunch what was about to come when he held onto the other's arms. However he did not expect this state of weightlessness as they were soaring up and towards the clouds, leaving the snowy forest behind. He couldn't even feel the floor of his own room outside the virtual reality under his feet anymore, almost as if he had been sucked completely into this world. Instinctively he tightened his grip on Binary's arms and drew himself closer.

"Don't worry, nothing can happen to you. It's simply not programmed," Binary reassured him.

"It's just... so realistic," Luger said as he watched an swarm of birds fly past so close to them that he almost could have touched them - if he had had the courage to let go.

Underneath them the landscape had drastically changed. Snow was replaced by rocks and soon by sand. Since they were now flying lower again he could feel the heat of the desert rising up to them. In the distance he saw something that looked like ruins. They made him think of long forgotten cultures.

"It's definitely warmer. But I don't think this is the warmth you were looking for," Binary said.

"Is this also part of the world you created?"

Binary hesitated for a moment. "Just a little side project. It's based on some of the things I found out about ancient history. So I can keep studying it - in case I can't leave Haven for one reason or the other. Most people find it boring though so I don't show it in detail."

"Could I maybe see it some time?" Luger asked. "I don't really know much about history but I definitely find ancient technologies fascinating."

For a moment a little smile appeared on Binary's face. "Maybe one day."

Sand slowly turned into grass and then into a flowering meadow. Petals flew in all directions as they lowered their height and glided just above it, surrounding them with a swirling flowery rainbow. Luger let out a laugh, he just couldn't help it. Hardly ever in his life had he seen something so colourful and beautiful.

At the edge of a forest they landed.  
"Sorry, we have to walk for a bit. I can't navigate between trees or thicket yet," Binary apologised. "It isn't far though."

"Oh I don't mind at all," Luger replied. It only meant he could enjoy this work of art for longer.

The light of the setting sun filtered through the treetops, bathing the forest in a warm golden light. Aside of the occasional chirping of birds and insects and wind rustling through leaves it was silent. Occasionally Luger glanced at his companion who with his digital look couldn't have stood out more in this landscape. They had barely talked since they had started their walk but somehow their silence didn't feel uncomfortable like it usually would when he was with other people. It seemed as if Binary didn't mind or even notice their lack of conversation.

During the last minute the terrain had become a bit more mountainous. Thinking back on their journey so far Luger realised how smooth the transition between the landscapes had been. All of them quite different but nothing seemed out of place or unnaturally sudden. Someone seemed to have spent a lot of time creating his own little paradise.

When they reached a small lake with a waterfall on the other side Binary halted. Night had now fallen and the moon reflected in the calm water. Binary knelt down, put his hands into the water and stirred it up. A blue glow spread over the lake as Luger watched in amazement.

"In real life this would have been caused by bioluminescent algae, bacteria or plankton," Binary quietly said. "They react to being disturbed by oxygen. I have never seen it for real but I hope I recreated the effect well enough."

"It's amazing..." Slowly Luger had the feeling he was repeating himself. But it was the truth. "I could imagine that - if it's not in the middle of the night in the real world - your world might be overrun by people. Or is this a private server?"

Binary watched the water for a little while longer. "It used to be public," he replied eventually. "But people don't really care for it. I mean, they look at it, but then they don't enjoy it. They want something to happen, they want to talk. They want entertainment, not just silence and colours. And when they realise how bad I am at keeping a conversation or how long I can sometimes ponder over my replies they get frustrated and leave. So I made it private. My life is already loud, hectic and stressful enough as it is. I at least want some peace and quiet in my virtual retreat."

"Oh... I'm sorry. And also that I have done the same and disturbed the silence now..."

But Binary shook his head. "It's different. You were curious, not asking for entertainment. You didn't lose patience."

Some people might just have called me boring, Luger thought. But in a way he could understand Binary and his decision to keep it a private place. It was more enjoyable with just the two of them instead of the usual masses that would loudly trample through everything. He sat down next to the other and together they enjoyed the serenity of this place. A few times they talked, but mostly they just silently enjoyed each other's company.

"I'm sorry that I have to disturb it but it will soon be morning in the real world. I need to return to my duties," Binary said after a while.

Luger looked at him in surprise. Had they really spent the entire night together? To him it had only felt like a few moments.

"Wait, before we both log off - what is your name? I mean, your actual name. You already told me that you're a Guardian. But I would also like to know who of them. And thinking of you only as Binary is ... weird somehow. You are more than just a string of data."

For a moment the other remained quiet, seemed to think it over, then he replied, "Locke. I'm Locke."

"And my name is the same as my username because I'm as creative as a rock. I'm Luger. Will I... will I be able to see you again soon?"

Locke seemed to be honestly surprised by this question but then he smiled. "Maybe I'll be on again in the evening."

Luger could suddenly feel the floor of his room under his feet again, could hear the ticking of his clock. He removed the VR gear and sunk down unto his bed. Suddenly the world felt really bleak and cold again without Locke by his side. It was strange - he barely even knew this guy, they had only spent a few hours together, talked very little - but he had shown him a world full of wonder and even after such a short time he felt a connection to him that he had hardly felt with anyone else. And as weird as it sounded - he already started to miss him.


	2. Chapter 2

It was quite early in the evening and a lot of people were still hanging out in the virtual worlds - most of them busy watching virtual sunsets as it seemed, or maybe sunrises, Luger never hung around for long enough to tell the difference.  
It was unlikely that Locke would already be online with so many people around but Luger had decided to go online nevertheless. He had been looking forward to seeing him all day and didn't want to risk it and miss him.

"I have hardly ever seen so many suns. And that although I also studied astrophysics."  
Luger heard his voice chat long before he finally saw Locke's avatar approaching. Maybe it was just his imagination but Locke looked more ... real this time. No waves of binary code were running over his body and despite sounding deadpan there also was a little smile on his face.

Luger shrugged. "I guess these things are just popular. Even if people could actually see the real thing every day by just looking out of their windows. It's really nothing that special."

"Haven has no windows," Locke simply commented. "I'd always have to go outside if I wanted to see it. Or go here and create my own or watch someone else's. And I don't get to go outside much."

"Oh..." Luger didn't know what else to say.

"I think that just sounded as if I'm some kind of prisoner..." Locke gave an awkward laugh. "It's mostly really just my own fault. I prefer to only go outside if there is a good reason to. But at any rate... I don't think you are here to listen to my boring, sad real life."

Though Luger absolutely wouldn't have minded. It wasn't as if his own life was any better or more interesting. And he also told Locke so. The Guardian still declined, though he also seemed greatful for the offer.

"I don't have a rising or setting sun," Locke said eventually. "But I could show you something you won't be able to see by just going outside instead."

Just like last time he held out his arms but this time they didn't fly. Rather they teleported into a world of black and grey. They were standing on grey sand, despite a bright white sun above them the sky was completely black. The complete and utter silence made Lugers ears ring.

"Is this... a moon," he whispered. In this silence even a quiet voice sounded loud though.

"It is," Locke whispered back. "You are taking this better than expected. I assume a lot of people wouldn't take the lack of sound too well or get freaked out by the surroundings."

"The silence is hard to get used to, I have to admit. But this place is rather fascinating than eerie."

Locke looked at the horizon. "You can ignore the sun, it's just there for accuracy. What we actually came for should start any time now."

Only a few seconds later Luger saw something appearing at the horizon, at first looking like the summit of a small hill, coloured in blue and white, then it grew and shades of green and brown became visible as well. He watched a planet rise - their own home planet. If he had to describe what he felt right now it would have been impossible for him to put it into words. Were there even words strong enough to adequately describe this level of amazement and awe? Never had he felt more connected to his own home than now that he saw it from such a distance. He barely even noticed how close he had shifted towards Locke, still clinging onto his hands, and Locke also didn't move away.

Only when the fully visible planet was already a bit higher up in the sky Luger dared to speak again. "This is just... wow... I bet you are coming back here quite often..."

But Locke, looking as impressed as Luger felt right now, shook his head. "Only for test runs on the screen. I wanted to leave this for special occasions." He paused. "It is... weird. I know this is only a simulation, one that I created. But now that I can actually watch it, with someone by my side, it is giving me chills... The good kind. It's making me feel insignificant - but not in a depressing way. It is making me feel lonely but still connected to everyone. And I am just glad that you are here with me. Do I even make sense? I'm sorry if I ramble."

"I know," Luger quietly agreed. "It is hard to describe, but I think I know what you mean and I feel the same."  
'Leave it for special occasions,' he thought. So Locke thought about seeing him again as a special occasion?

"It might also be hard to surpass," Locke said. "Everything else I can show you will just look boring in comparison."

"I would like to see more anyways," Luger quickly said. 

"Really?" Locke thought it over for a moment. "There is another place I have been working on for a really long time. Another private place. But I think I can show you."

Luger watched the world around them dissolve and then he felt as if he was sinking down, below the surface - not just the surface of the moon, but the entirety of the virtual worlds. When he finally felt solid ground under his feet again they at first were still in complete darkness. And then the world below them lit up. They seemed to be standing on a tall building, overlooking a futuristic city at night. Luger could see streets bathed in blue light, buildings in odd but often repeating shapes. No, wait, those weren't streets - those were circuits. And those weren't buildings either - those were chipsets, slots, connectors, he didn't know enough of the insides of computers to name them all correctly but he was sure he was looking at a motherboard turned into a city.

Locke's avatar could have fit right into this world but as Luger turned towards the Guardian he once again looked out of place, and with that even more real than before. The lines on his body now were gone too. There was a blue glow to him but that could have just been because of the light from the streets.

'He is letting his guard down,' Luger thought. It was only an assumption but it seemed as if Locke was wearing his avatar like a mask, or like protective armour. He appeared like a bot, he looked like a bot - most people, including Luger at first, probably assumed he was just a chatroom bot and left him alone. He didn't want to completely exclude himself from other people but he also didn't want to be approached until he was completely prepared for it. When he appeared more real earlier this evening it probably meant he trusted Luger enough to reveal a bit more of himself. And now he was at one of his safe places.

"In a way you could call this my home. Or what my life looks like," Locke quietly told while he kept looking at the skyline. "I am using this technology for work, during my spare time and whenever I feel like I have to withdraw from everything I'm coming back to it as well." He gave an awkward chuckle. "My life is pathetic, isn't it?"

"Less pathetic than my own life..." Luger mumbled. "You at least have created something beautiful. I don't even have that to show."

The Guardian looked at him, his head tilted to the side. "Wait... what do you mean?"

"Oh... it's nothing." Luger avoided his gaze, internally cursing himself. "I don't want to bother you with my life while we can just... admire the beauty."

"It's not a bother. You have a problem that is tearing you up and I am here to listen. I... I don't know if I can help you... but at least I want to try."

He sat down at the edge of the "building", patted the floor next to him to signal Luger to sit down as well. For a moment Luger hesitated but then he took a seat next to Locke. Looking out at the motherboard city he started talking - about how he only wanted his people to live in peace, how most of his people and even his own family hated and mistrusted him for that, how he felt as if he was more tolerated than welcomed, in Echidnaopolis as well as among his own people. And all this time Locke listened. At some point he had placed his hand on Luger's, just a small, quiet gesture but to Luger it showed that the other wanted to he there for him, that he was accepted by him. Once Luger had ended it was a strange feeling - on one hand he felt really awkward for loading his problems onto someone, but on the other hand he also felt really relieved. And then there also was this growning fondness he felt for Locke.

After a while of silence Locke said, "I'm sorry if I sound weird now but... I would like to meet you. For real I mean, not just in this virtual world. I just... I want to be there for you... I want to be with you in general."

For a moment Luger stared at him in surprise. "But... I know how much you want to avoid going outside. Please, don't feel obligated to be with me just because of my sob story..."

"It's right that I only go out when it's absolutely necessary. But now I WANT to. I just would like to be with you."

The scenery around them changed again. It seemed to happen unconsciously, as if the program was simply following Locke's thoughts. Even the Guardian seemed a bit surprised by the sudden change but he only showed it for a second. They now were at a train platform, Luger could read the name of the station, noticed the time on the big clock.

"I'll be waiting for you tomorrow." Locke said. "I really hope you'll come."

~~~***~~~

Luger didn't know how long he had alreary been lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. As much as he wanted to see Locke, he also felt scared - not of the other but of himself, of what he might do or say, of how he could scare off Locke.

A look at the clock however put a stop to his pondering. If he actually wanted to see Locke he had to leave NOW. He quickly jumped up and rushed out of his apartment.

Had a trip to the city always lasted this long? Or was a train ever that full? Luger impatiently watched the stops while keeping an eye on each of the station clocks as well. Would Locke really be there? Hopefully he would wait around if this train was really late.

Finally his stop came up. A mass of people left along with him, others were pushing into the train. He was carried by a stream of Echidnas. How should he ever find anyone in this crowd? Someone was pushed into him, was now holding onto him as if for dear life. It took Luger a moment to realise who it was. For the first time he saw him in his non-binary form.

The crowd had finally dispersed but the two still remained for a while longer, just silently looking at each other. Passersby were giving them weird glances but they barely cared.

Eventually Locke took Luger's hand. "Come, let's go somewhere else."

"Where to?" Luger asked. "I don't really know much of this city."

Locke thought about it for a moment but then shrugged. "I don't know this world as well as my own. But let's just have a look at it together. Anywhere, as long as we can be with each other."


End file.
